News Release: PBOT and Design Week Portland partner for a special Park(ing) Day on April 14

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This is not a "resolution" post...

...But it is a list of 10 easy ways I plan to get more exercise, save money, and use the car less in 2010:

1. Just once a week. Switch just one of my normal driving trips to walking, biking, or transit to make a big difference in my personal and community's health.

The "kids" I plan on

walking to the store.

2. Take the MAX or WES. Several studies show that train commuters are much more likely to walk 10,000 steps/day. My MAX stop is about 3/4 mile from home; the bus stop less than a 1/4 mile.

3. Log those trips. A recent study shows keeping track of your steps each day is key to maintaining exericse. This works for biking, walking, stairs, etc. Need a free pedometer? You can get one!

4. Try that neighborhood restaurant. Even though my neighborhood isn't considered one of Portland's dining hot spots, there are a bevy of local eateries that I haven't tried yet. And they're all within walking distance.

5. Get smart (by biking to the library). I love the library, but I don't end up going very often. I plan to change that this year by combining two of my favorite things: bikes and books.

6. Use transit on the weekend more often. I rarely drive to work, but on the weekends when I am not heading downtown its usually the car or the bike. Why not transit on the weekends? I am not sure, but I plan on adding the bus and MAX to my weekend mode choices.

7. Get more free movies! I love Movie Madness and West Coast Video, but sometimes I want to save a buck. The library is a great place to get dvds without the fees.

8. Walk to the grocery store with the "kids". I have to walk the dogs. I have to get groceries. Combine those two chores into one fun trip. I'll see how I do when the actual human kid comes along...

9. Hit the museums. What do the Portland Art Museum, Oregon Historical Society, the Children's Museum, and OMSI all have in common? Each one has free or super-discounted admission events each year and they are all easily accessible by transit. Cheap date!

10. Two stops early theorem. How much more would I walk if I got off the bus two stops early on the way to work and the way home? It would add up to almost a mile each day! That's some good exericisin'!